Journal
COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES IN MEDICINE
Volume 14, Issue 1, Pages 47-52Publisher
CHURCHILL LIVINGSTONE
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2005.05.005
Keywords
acupuncture; ear acupuncture; auriculotherapy; myofascial pain; clinical; double blind; randomised
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Auriculotherapy (ear acupuncture) is a therapeutic technique in which points on the auricle are stimulated with needles. Usually it is combined with somatic acupuncture because of possible synergy, although the efficacy of this pairing has neither been confirmed nor disproved. The aim of this study was to verify: (1) if somatic acupuncture can reduce myofascial cervical pain; (2) if concomitant auriculotherapy improves the efficacy of somatic acupuncture. A group of 62 patients affected by cervical myofascial pain was randomly divided into two groups of 31. Group A (6 mates and 25 females) underwent eight sessions of somatic acupuncture. Group B (7 mates and 24 females) underwent eight sessions of somatic acupuncture in the same way as group A, paired with auriculotherapy. Pain was scored using the McGill Pain Questionnaire before and at the end of treatment, and 1 and 3 months later. The results showed that both somatic acupuncture and somatic plus ear acupuncture have a positive effect in reducing pain. The pain intensity score was 40.70 +/- 17.78 in group A before therapy and 13.32 +/- 9.62 after therapy; in group B it was 38.90 +/- 15.31 and 13.43 +/- 10.96. Somatic plus auriculotherapy was therefore not statistically significantly superior to somatic therapy atone in the treatment of cervical myofascial pain. (C) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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